PLANS for development on the beauty spot date back to 1996.
It was during this year that the land either side of Dry Street was earmarked for housing by Essex County Council and the Commission for New Towns.
In 1998, the site emerged in Basildon Council’s local plan as an area of ‘special reserve’ for house building. It was not until 2004 that English Partnerships, the predecessor of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), had a plan for 1,300 homes there.
In 2006, the Echo launched its Save Dry Street campaign - backed by 10,000 readers. English Partnerships abandoned the scheme.
In 2011, Basildon Council and the HCA entered into talks about a 725-home development.
Outline planning permission was granted in June 2013, despite 838 objection letters and a 5,000-signature petition.
In October 2014, after raising more than £20,000, the Green Action Group took its case to the High Court in a bid to halt the development - but a judge threw out their request.
Formal plans for the first phase of the scheme are submitted by developers in June 2015.
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